The story that started with finding the better alternative for the local taxi services in Goa due to the rude and non-friendly behaviour of Goan taxi drivers with the tourists is now reached the crossroads where there will may be no OLA or UBER coming to Goa but the GTDC may launch its own CAB Service APP in Goa said GTDC Chairman Nilesh Cabral.
The online Petition initiated by the Goan NRI settled in Canada had started gaining a huge momentum with more than 5000 people have already signed the petition and counting. The main agenda of the petition was, to bring an efficient Cab service like OLA and UBER into the state and put the full stop to the Goondagiri of Local taxi operators but now the picture looks like changing with the GTDC showing its interest in entering this segment with the launch of their own APP.
The Chairman of GTDC, Nilesh Cabral made a statement in the media that, GTDC will soon launch its own CAB aggregator service in the state in a bid to provide the better cab services to the tourists coming to the state. According to Mr. Cabral, the Goa Tourism Development Corporation will develop its own Mobile APP. Mr. Cabral said that the Goa Government is not in favor of bringing the OLA or UBER into the state as of now. “We will develop our own app and taxis can be booked through the app. We will not allow Ola and Uber to enter Goa as we are not considering that. GTDC will have its own service,” Cabral said.
Mr. Cabral is confident of GTDC starting its own taxi services in the state soon but when media asked him about the fate of the Women taxi service that was started by the GTDC in the last year, he could not give the satisfactory answers to them. Presently the Women taxi service according to Mr. Cabral is working satisfactorily but there is no further development into it.
Meanwhile, According to the sources, the online petition initiated by Mahesh Sardesai to bring the OLA and UBER into the state has already crossed the mark of 5000 signatures and it is marching towards the mark of 7500, said the sources. The petition had initiated a fierce debate over the attitudes and practices of the local taxi drivers in the state. In the meantime, Cabral said that the Women taxi service is already running on online booking. “Even today you can book a cab driven by a woman driver through our website or booking service,” Cabral said.
According to Mr. Sardesai the Man behind the online petition feels that the taxi services like OLA and UBER are professionally managed services and the tourists from India and abroad have already used their (OLA & UBER) services. “Tourism is the backbone of Goa’s economy and tourists across the world and India are used to services like OLA/UBER, it’s time to allow them to operate in Goa. Goan taxi drivers never use the taxi meters required by law and charge exorbitant rates for their services,” Sardesai wrote.
According to Mr. Sardesai, the entry of cheaper taxi aggregator will lead to increase in overall business since not only the tourists but the locals as well start using the services of OLA and UBER this the issue of better public transport will get solved. “The cheaper commuting brought through taxi aggregators more people including locals will begin to use the taxis resulting in less people using their own cars thereby lesser crowding of cities, lesser parking problems, better security and a better overall environment,” he added.
What do you think about the point of views of both the parties? on the one side, Chairman of GTDC is making the tall claims and on the other hands the petition has already gained a momentum and the local taxi operators are at receiving end at the moment. According to you, what should be the best setup? The service started by the GTDC will be capable enough to provide the services of OLA and UBER standard? Or it will become another project like Women Taxi Services? Is the UBER and OLA the best option for Goa at the moment? What will be the fate of local taxi operators? Please do share your views and suggestions on this issue.
NEWS SOURCE: THE GOAN
IMAGE SOURCE: INDIAN EXPRESS
